cursory — hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɜːrsəri/
Example Sentences
- The teacher's cursory check of homework meant half the class got away with copying from Wikipedia.
- His cursory attempt at cooking resulted in smoke alarms and a pizza delivery order.
- The security guard gave only a cursory scan of the building before leaving.
cursory
ADJECTIVE[/ˈkɜːrsəri/]
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed

Hasty superficial inspection

A cursory glance through the nursery misses all the magic.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'cursorius' meaning 'of or for running,' derived from 'cursus' (a running, course). The word entered English in the 16th century, originally describing something done in haste like a quick run.
Breakdown
curs- (from Latin cursus, running) + -ory (adjective suffix meaning 'of or relating to') = cursory (relating to a quick running over, hence hasty and superficial)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The teacher's cursory check of homework meant half the class got away with copying from Wikipedia.”
“His cursory attempt at cooking resulted in smoke alarms and a pizza delivery order.”
“The security guard gave only a cursory scan of the building before leaving.”
“After a cursory investigation, police realized they had arrested the wrong mime artist.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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